`newMap`<-
function(mapToPlot=getMap(),oceanColour=NA,projection="none",mapRegion="world",aspect=NA){
if (mapRegion != "world"){
    dFwesn <- setMapExtents(mapRegion)
    xlim=c(dFwesn$we,ea=dFwesn$ea)
    ylim=c(so=dFwesn$so,no=dFwesn$no)
  }else{
    xlim=bbox(mapToPlot)[1,]
    ylim=bbox(mapToPlot)[2,]
  }
  ## 10/9/08 trying to use estimated coord conversion rather than proper projection through spTransform
  ## ! this may be risky if users want to put points on map
  ## ! but should be OK if just for coloured countries
  if (projection=="EqualArea" || projection=="equalArea"){
    xlim=xlim*100000
    ylim=ylim*100000
  }
  plot.new()

  #replicate behaviour of plot.Spatial in the sp package regarding aspect.
  if (is.na(aspect))
        aspect <- ifelse(is.na(proj4string(mapToPlot)) || is.projected(mapToPlot),
            1, 1/cos((mean(ylim) * pi)/180))

  plot.window(xlim=xlim,ylim=ylim,asp=aspect)
  rect(xlim[1],ylim[1],xlim[2],ylim[2],col=oceanColour,border=oceanColour)
}
